The Lone Wolf in the Dark Woods
by Okami Sohma
Summary: Young Okami Sohma has had a rough life, but everything begins to ease once she meets Kyo Sohma and the others. Dark Times have fallen upon her and darkness begins to steal her soul; Will Kyo be able to bring Okami back to the light? Or is it too late for our friend? OCx?
1. Chapter 1

"Your not my father!" a teenager's voice yells from a few feet away, coming towards me. I grasp part of the boulder in front of me to help me stand up, I manage to get to my feet, but my hand slips and I bang my chin on the rock, I growl as I recover and try to walk, but I fall to my knees. I hear his footsteps as he runs in my direction.

"Kyo!" the person he must have yelled at calls after him.

I recover and try to run. I feel a pain in my back as he collides into me. We both let out a yell as we fall down a 10 foot drop and go tumbling down the steep, rocky slope. After about a minute of tumbling, I feel something grab my belt, I open my eyes and see a long drop below me…

_Cliff…_

I feel to person pull me up to him, but the slim branch he was hanging onto breaks and we fall off the cliff.

"Ah crap…" he shouts. Everything goes black as we hit the water below us.

~3 years later~

"I'll show that stupid rat what I'm made of!" Kyo growls to himself as he jumps onto the roof, that breaks under the force, nearly crushing the Honda girl under him.

"Yo! Time to pay the Piper Rat-Boy, I'm here to collect."

_Idiot…_

I decide to see what happens before stopping him.

"Funny, I would've thought he send somebody bigger." Yuki taunts him leaning against the open window.

"That's right, you better get your tough-talk out of the way while you can because I'm about to wipe that stupid little smirk right off your face!" Kyo dashes at him.

_Time to intervene… _I decide, jumping through to roof after him.

"Wait stop, Don't fight! Ah!" The Honda girl slips on a piece of wood as she tries to stop Kyo, My eyes get wide as he crashes into me and her arms wrap around him, and his wraps around my lower back and my head to protect me from the fall, then…

_Poof…_

I feel the girl's arms wrapped around me, her face buried into my chest.

"Yuki, what were all those crashing sounds I just heard? Kyo's not here is he?" Shigure asks, as I try to recover from the dizziness.

"I'm so sorry! Are you alright?" Tohru stands up, holding Kitty-Kyo in her hands, anime angry symbol on his head.

"I turned him into a cat! I'm so sorry! I don't know what happened, but we're going to help you, ok? Hurry we need to get him to a-"

_Thud, Clank… _a loose board hits Tohru on top of the head as she whips around to look at us in front of the door. It dazes her causing her to crash into us, hugging us.

"Miss. Honda!"

"Tohru!"

_Poof… again…._

Yuki and Shigure turn into animals also as I whack my head on the floor again, and everything goes by in a blur.

"Call a doctor, or a vet or anybody! Oh Mr. postman, its terrible you see, their animals!" She panics, running down stairs with them in her arms. I go to follow her but fall down the stairs,

"Oh! Well, They certainly are! Here's your mail!" he pulls out the mail to give to her.

"No! No! We've got to do something!" She panics as Shigure walks forward and grabs the mail between his teeth,

"Hmm, Haha! I wish my dog was this smart, good-day!" he turns and leaves, shutting the door behind him.

"Dang it! How am I supposed to come up with a excuse if both of you transformed too!?" Kyo shouts, his back arched and fur raised.

"Don't you dare try to blame this on us, you stupid cat!" Yuki shouts back.

"Go ahead, say that again!"

"Stupid cat" Yuki says slowly, with a lower voice.

"Why you little-!"

"Cut it out, both of you!" Shigure intervenes, raising his head, sending Yuki flying off. Tohru stares at them with shock, her face pale. Shigure sighs,

"Anyway, its to late for excuses, might as well tell her the truth. Tohru, I'm a dog. Yuki here, he's a rat. And that's Kyo, don't let his temper scare you, he's got a bit of a chip on his shoulder."

"So this is, normal?" Tohru asks, her hands raised to her chin.

"Strange choice of words, but yes. Our family has lived with this curse for generations, we transform into the 12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac."

Kyo, who is now laying down facing the wall, looks over his shoulder at Shigure.

"Sorry, the 12 animals plus the cat. Anyway, when our bodies come under a great deal of stress or we're hugged by a member of the opposite gender, we transform. After a little while, we change back, but the only thing is…"

_Poof…_

"We're naked…"

"AAH!" Tohru shouts, whipping around as the smoke appears, and I quickly shut my eyes, even if I cant see them.

"Well, we must seem pretty strange to you at this point."

"Hem, well its not your fault if your family is under a curse."

"Tohru, didn't you say you wished you could be a cat?"

"Huh? Ya, uh-ha."

"Whats it like seeing the real thing?" Shigure looks at Kyo who is on the porch,

"Right! it's the cat from the Chinese Zodiac, like in the story."

"Yes its hard to believe, I know. And I agree the phrase 'cat like reflexes' doesn't really apply to him, they way he let you fall on him like that. But, he is a cat, although clumsier than most, surprising really considering the amount of martial arts training he's had. I'm sure he'd tell you the same thing himself if he wasn't so busy brooding like a child." Shigure goes on while Kyo's patience lowers and his anger raises.

"UGH! Would you shut up? I told you, its not my fault! If you want to blame somebody, blame her!" He points to Tohru, "She shouldn't even be here!"

"Leave her out of this. Who we chose to allow is really non of your concern. You're the one who doesn't belong here." Yuki stands up for Tohru.

"Punk!" Kyo growls, smashing the table in two. By now, I'm still dazed but leaning against he doorway. The table hits Tohru in the forehead, making her bleed, also making Kyo have a little gasp.

"Oh, Tohru! Your bleeding!" Shigure says,

Yuki slaps Kyo across the face, which effects me as well, as if he done it to me, but mentally.

"Kyo is reckless with his temper." Shigure says, holding a towel, "but to act like this…"

"Your still as stupid as ever and I'm going to prove it to you by giving you exactly what you want." Yuki says unbuttoning the top button of his shirt.

"Only this time I wont hold back."

"Ok, Sissy boy!" Kyo goes to kick him in the face but Yuki ducks.

"No, Yuki!" Tohru calls, as Shigure turns her head to look at him and helps the cut on her head.

"Don't worry, this goes back a lot farther than just a day. Those two do nothing but fight when they see each other."

"But, uh, shouldn't we stop them?"

"No its ok, It'll all be over in a second." Shigure turns back to them. Yuki blocks and dodges all of Kyo's attacks, but then goes to kick him, But I dash forward and grab Yuki's ankle, just as its about to hit Kyo.

'Problem?' My eyes glitter with the question, my dizziness vanishing. I notice Kyo dashing off, his pride hurt. My little smirk vanishes as I release Yuki and take a step back. Turning, I dash after Kyo.

I sit in the corner of Tohru's room, arms crossed, eyes closed and Kyo fixes the roof.

"You know, you could help, you also damaged it." Kyo complains as Tohru walks into the room. I hear Kyo jump down from the ladder, holding the tape, they stare at each other for a few moments before he turns his back as Tohru glances at the roof.

"Don't freak out, its only temporary. You can call someone to fix it better later, this will at least keep the rain out till then." he says, eyes closed, hand on hip.

"Yes, thank you." Tohru's expression sinks from shock to something I cant even describe.

"HEY!" Kyo says/shouts.

"I'm here!" She snaps out of her thoughts, I open one of my eyes, noticing Tohru still hasn't seen me.

"I'm not very good and controlling my temper… When I get angry, I… I don't know… maybe I don't have enough training…" he squeezes the tape tightly. "I just- I just cant stand loosing to that dang Yuki! So about this morning, it wasn't… what I mean is… I'm so-" Kyo is cut off as he whips around to face her.

"I'm home! Yuki! Tohru! Are you hear? And Kyo, I hope your not doing something stupid and tearing up my house again!" Shigure calls.

"Oh forget it!" Kyo growls storming out of the room, Tohru follows him. I stand up and follow more slowly.

"Wait! Please don't go!" Tohru asks, stopping as he leaves.

"He'll be back. Its not like he has anywhere else to go. But never mind him can you come in here for a second?" Shigure says calmly, walking into the dining room. Casting one last glance Tohru looks after Kyo then follows him.

I sit in the tree above Kyo, while we wait for Tohru.

'Don't scare her Kyo.' I taunt him.

"Shut up!" He shouts and me and I throw a twig at him. "OW!" He shouts, holding his head.

'Hollow-head…' I bark.

"Shut up." He says softer.

After a few minutes of waiting I hear Tohru coming. I get to the edge of the branch, hidden by the leaves, I watch her walk home by herself. She stops suddenly as Kyo goes out to her, the bushes rustling.

_He is soooo gonna scare her…_

She pulls her bag up to her chest, shaking with fear. Kyo reaches for her shoulder.

"NO!" She yells and hits him in the side of the head. It feels like hours went by before she opened her eyes to see Kyo. Then the fear scent becomes stronger, also with panic. Kyo turns his back on her.

"Oh! Wait I'm sorry, it was an accident!" Tohru panics, hand out, "I was stretching my arm and oops! How funny things like that happen, huh? But hey its nice to see you!"

"Quick your babbling. If you've got something to say then say it." He says, a hint of anger in his voice, but at least its not yelling.

"Kyo." She whispers.

"What?" he asks, louder this time.

"I don't know what to say."

"Then don't say anything!" He shouts.

"I'm sorry!" She holds her bag up to her chest.

"No, don't be. Say or don't say whatever you want." He covers his face and looks away, his hand out to her. "And you don't, you know, stay away. Ah! Just hit me again if your angry!" He gets ready for impact, but none yet. Tohru's face is shocked and with a hint of relief.

"I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong idea, I only hit you because I thought you were a stalker."

"Oh great…" he says looking at me and I chuckle and he glares at me.

"You see, its wasn't because I was mad at you. In fact, I really like you."

Shigure's words echo in my mind, "I've always liked the cat from the Zodiac. I mean, what I hope is, maybe we can be friends." she leans closer to him.

_Someday, your gonna met someone who truly wants to be your friend, besides Okami! _His words ring in my ears. As Kyo is leaning away his face is full of shock.

"What you supposed to be? Some 'Year of the Cat' Fan club? Come on, lets go back." He recovers and begins to lead her away.

"You forgetting someone?" I try to shout at them, but everything comes out jumbled and mixed, they both freeze and look back at me as I scramble down from the tree.

"Did she just…?" Tohru begins and Kyo nods. I catch up to them.

'Ya Sure! Forget about the one who was stuck in a tree!' I snap at him before walking ahead.

"I hear our sweet, silent Okami tried to talk last night." Shigure comments as I hide in the shadows of the dining room.

'Who you calling sweet?' I ask him, my eyes peeking out from over my knees, that also have a faint glow to them. Shigure looks at me then freezes with fright and how menacing I look.

"Has anyone ever seen her look so scary before?" He asks,

"Try in the middle of the woods and catching her red eyes, in darkness. Man! I about peed my pants when she pounced on me." Kyo shivers from the memories, "Boy, is she scary when she goes Black Wolf!"

"'Black Wolf'?" Tohru asks,

"Ya, that's what we call her when her temper gets the better of her, she thinks everyone is an enemy during that, that's our nickname for it." Shigure laughs.

"She also has 2 more, 'Rose Wolf' and 'White Wolf'. 'White Wolf' is the one you see before you right now. 'Rose Wolf' is a rare one, its when she gets as protective as a mother wolf and even more caring than one." Yuki chirps in.

"Maybe I'll get to see that one some time." Tohru smiles at me and I duck my head lower.

'Eww, Leaks.' I stare at the food, 'I think I'll just go hungry.

"Just eat." Yuki says grabbing Kyo's nose and putting leaks in his mouth, making him pass out. I feel sick and pass out of myself,

"Looks like two people hate Leaks, I guess its more for us then!" Shigure steals my plate.

"Is Okami alright?" Tohru asked.

"She's fine, she just cant stand anything to do with leaks either, She gets sick each time to get some near her, she faints each time it touches her tongue or someone else eats it." Yuki says, sitting back down.

_Sickos!_

I sit in the door way to the kitchen; my knees to my chest, arms wrapped around them, eyes barely peeking over my knees, and I slowly rock myself back and forth, my face looking green.

_How can anyone even look at leeks?_

A shiver is sent down my spine,

'I swear, if you pull a stunt like that again Yuki, you want have to worry about Kyo anymore…' I threaten him, not moving from my spot.

"What is she saying?" Tohru asks,

"Nothing to worry about." He smiles at her and my fingers twitch with anger. I look at Kyo who still hasn't moved, the leeks still in his mouth.

_Poor Kyo… He has to suffer with leeks in his mouth… YUCK!_

Another shiver goes down my spine

The ground starts shaking and Shigure looks up from his news paper.

"Sounds like they're here early." He comments calmly. Both me and Kyo shoot up, not wanting to be involved with them. We try to run but Shigure grabs us.

"I didn't know you were expecting anyone." Tohru comments.

"Na-uh, Not so fast." Shigure says when he grabs our shirts; the rumbling stops.

_We're DEAD! We're so dead! _I begin to try and get away again, Shigure grips my shirt tighter as I drop to all floors and try crawling away, he then switches to my chain collar and I'm forced to sit cross legged, arms holding my upper body up, almost like a dog.

Tohru walks to the door and opens it. I look at her then try to pull away again but Shigure pulls me back and I'm forced to sit down.

Kagura, Sora and Tohru have a little chat. Sora and Kagura notice us.

"Kyo?"

"Okami?" They ask in usion.

"Kagura!"

'Sora!' We look back at them trying to escape again. They stare at us in shock.

"Kyo! Kyo!" Kagura calls his name, running towards him while Sora does the same thing with me. We both stop trying to run and look at them.

"Why did you run away for so long?" They ask us; My heart pounds in my chest with terror of Sora's fierceness.

_I'm going to __**DIE! **__Oh dear lord save my life! _I beg in my mind,

"You didn't call me, or send a card," I grab Kyo's leg with terror.

"Where were you? Oh darling!" Their moods suddenly change.

"I missed you so much!" They shout, Kagura hits Kyo in the mouth and I barely dodge Sora.

'Run!' I grab his shirt, dashing off.

"YOU HAD ME WORRIED SICK!" They yell, running after us. I Jump through the open window and hide in a bush.

_These people our gonna kill us! Oh, why must it be me that Sora is obsessed with! Why cant it be a normal person?! _I look up at the sky through the bushes. Meanwhile, Kagura is spinning Kyo over her head, by his foot. I quickly dash inside and grab Tohru's leg; chest heaving with terror. My eyes bolting for one spot to the other.

"Okami! Okami my dear! Where ever could my sweet Okami be?" Sora calls, his voice breaking.

"Never thought I'd see this happen to Okami again," Yuki comments,

"Okami! My dearest Okami! HOW DARE YOU RUN FROM MY LOVE?! DON'T YOU KNOW HOW MUCH MY HEART SKIPS BEATS WHEN I LAY MY EYES UPON YOUR BEAUTFIL SOUL!?" He shouts at me.

'HELP!' I plead Tohru, gripping her leg tighter.

"That is Sora, Kagura's twin brother. He is painfully in love with Okami, just like Kagura and Kyo."

"OKAMI!" He screams, and I dash out of the room but he grabs my collar, and yanks me back. "BAD DOG!" He yells; I'm sitting like I was when Shigure grabbed my chain. My anime wolf ears flatten down, my anime wolf tail low, my head lowered.

"NEVER RUN AWAY AGAIN!" He continues on and on, then…

_Pop…_

Something snaps and my eyes turn amber. I look up at him, growling and snarling, he shuts up and backs away dropping my chain. I slowly move closer to him, still on my hands and knees, Once he is off the porch and Go back to normal and trot back inside and sit down beside Tohru, my _evil_ gaze not leaving Sora.

"Its cold in here." Yuki comments, breaking the silence while I lay by Tohru as she pets my head like a dog,

"Yes, I noticed that too." Shigure replies.

"I-I'm sorry, but when I saw Kyo (Okami (- Sora)), I just got so happy all my love just came out at once," Sora and Kagura say at the same time. I glance at the door that has this huge hole blown through it.

"I couldn't help it," They lower their heads more and look at the bridge of tears,

_Cry sucker CRY! Now you know how much you torture me! _I stare at Sora.

"But it is really your fault too Kyo (Okami), If you just remembered to call me, you wouldn't make me miss you so hard!" They look at us.

"Who says I forgot, maybe I didn't want to call you!" Kyo growls, holding a towel to his cheek.

"Okami? don't you talk? Okami? Please answer me my love!" Sora hugs me and I gets all tense, "Please! Talk my dearest Okami! Talk! Talk with all your soul!" He begs me.

"I'm sorry Sora, but Okami doesn't talk." Tohru says gently, Everyone is looking at us 3, even Kagura.

"What? She doesn't talk? Why doesn't she talk? When did she stop?" He asks her.

"Wouldn't you like to know…" I whine, my talking getting a tiny bit clearer but still messy and messed up, my voice also hoarse each time I try to use it.

"Its beautiful! Please continue to talk!" He begs, wrapping one arm around my chest and the other over my forehead and pulling me close to him.

"Why should I? YOU'RE A MANIAC!" I shout, the only word anyone barely understands is 'Maniac'. I pull away and crawl under the table, hiding. Switching topics again,

"Oh silly, of course you did! We are getting married after all." Kagura says to Kyo.

"And you to Okami, If only you would talk, but that only makes my heart beat faster!" Sora says to me. Id ahs out of the table and glare at him, flickers passing through my eyes.

'Since When!" me and Kyo shout at the same time, well me shout with I _eyes._

"You mean? You don't remember? When we were kids you asked me to marry you."

"Only because you were gonna kill me if I didn't!" he shouts, like usual.

"Oh, so the 4 of you are engaged? That's wonderful!" Tohru cheers while Yuki and Shigure hold a chip to their mouths.

"At least he'll have someone else to fight instead of me." Yuki says to Shigure.

"Congratulations." Shigure says to us.

"UGH! You guys!" Kyo shouts at them.

"We really do make the best couples, since we're both members of the Zodiac."

'SO AM I!' I snarl at her.

"Well, Kyo isn't officially a member, but he's still cursed so its almost the same, we can still understand each other the way no one else can," Kagura says over his shoulder, "And that's good," She suddenly hugs him, and Sora hugs me. "But the best thing is we can hug each other all we want and we don't transform."

Me and Kyo try to pull away. Sora hugs me tighter, a rumble growing in his throat.

'HELP!' I plead them.

"I don't believe it! Kyo didn't turn into a cat!" Tohru says in disbelief, once switching back to Kyo.

"See? Its ok for Zodiac members to hug." Kagura says hugging Yuki.

"And why is that?" Tohru asks.

_WHO THE HECK-_

"it's a mystery to us too." Yuki says looking at her, waiting patiently for Kagura to let go.

"Though, we've seen it enough to know it isn't just a fluke with Kagura." Shigure says, while Kagura lets go of Yuki, "She's one-of-a-kind granted, but not the only girl in the Zodiac." He explains.

"Really? There are more girls? DO you think I'll get to meet them some day?" Kagura dashes between the two,

"Kyo! You have to tell me, and be honest, Do you love me? Do you hate me? Because I love you, I do! More than anything else in the whole wide world! I'll prove it! I'll cook for you everyday, I'll do anything! Even if you cheat on me, I can forgive a one time fling! No one else loves you this much, do they? No, just me! We should always be together! You think? I JUST TOLD YOU WHAT YOU THINK! NOW SAY SOMETHING DANG IT!" Sora joined in with Kagura (but to me, That crazy kid is gonna murder me! Before I have a chance to kill myself from his yapping!) at 'You'.

"This pains me heart, But moving on. Tohru, correct me if I'm wrong but, aren't you something of a cat lover yourself?" Shigure asks her,

"That's me! The 'Year of the Cat' fan club" She says happily, while Kagura gasps in shock, turning to her.

"Rival! But I'm not going to loose!" She gets into her face, which makes me really mad, my blood boils beneath my skin. "Tohru what do you like best about Kyo? Because I like everything, EVERYTHING! The good things, the bad things! I like them all! I love Kyo no madder what, Even if he changes into his other form!" She blabs on, But before she could continue and before Kyo could move, I break free from Sora and Tackle her, Pinning her to the grab, my grip on her neck, my knees on each side of her, my free hand covering her mouth.

'You continue to say anything more, I swear…!' I threaten her, my amber eyes burning into her soul.

"AND YOU"LL DO WHAT OKAMI?" She shouts breaking free from my grip and twisting my arm behind my back.

"You should really call 'Mercy' Okami." Yuki says, holding something in his hand.

_Buzz… Buzz… _the dryer beeps.

"Oh, I almost forgot about the laundry." Tohru says looking in that direction.

"Laundry?" Kagura and Sora say at the same time while Tohru walks off. I hold my arm while Kyo is at my side instantly.

"You ok?" He asks, whispering, helping me up, tears of pain slightly seen. I give him a couple tiny nods, while rubbing my shoulder.

'Boy, she is _painful!_' I complain to him, we then hear Their quick footsteps. We instantly begin to crawl away.

"Time to do you laundry!" They call pinning us, Kagura manage to get Kyo' shirt off, and Sora managing to get my jacket off. We instantly get away.

"Where are you going?" They ask us.

"AWAY FROM YOU!" Kyo shouts and we dash off into hiding.

I sit against a tree in the woods, panting. My strapless shirt not giving me much worth with ought my jacket.

'I cant take much more of those maniacs.' I whimper. A cold breathe hits us, making us shiver with the cold. I crawl over to Kyo and press against him, he presses against me; we both shiver from the cold.

_Please let it be done soon! _I growl. I feel warm hands grab me around the waist and the shoulder and pull me against a strong muscled body. I feel my heart pound in my chest and Kyo holds me close to him while leaning against a tree.

"If we stick closer together, we'll be warmer…" he whispers into my ear, gently; so gently it tickles. I press against him more and he holds me tighter. My ear is pressed against his chest and I hear is heartbeat, it beats quickly, more than normal.

_W-What's causing his heart to beat like this? Stress? Anger? Embarrassment? Or-_

I feel him lay his chin on top of my head, while his heartbeats slowly gets back to normal, and slowly lulls me to sleep.

"Finally," Kyo whimpers, holding his arms as we stare at the house. "now I just have to get my shirt back and get the heck out of here!"

Kyo goes to get our shirts while I hide in the bush.

"Did I really make Okami so mad that I driven her off, OR is she just playing with me?" His voice becomes playful at the end,

_You better bet that I'm trying to get away from you, crazy coyote! _

_Sniff, Sniff…_

_CRAP! He's got my scent._

"I know you're here Okami, come out, come out wherever you are." He calls slowly coming towards me.

"Found you!" He says looking at me. I yelp and dash for safety. I feel something whack me, and I black out, but I was still faintly awake to know what happened while I was out, barely…

Sora picks me up in his arms and carries me back to the house, after freaking out about what happened.

"Will she be alright?" Tohru asks in shock, at seeing me in his arms. Yuki is instantly at my side as Sora sets me down on the couch. I feel his gently hands on my burning forehead.

"Fever…" he says to them, then catching the sight of bruises on my arms, that also stretches onto my stomach.

"She was knocked out cold, by something…" He continues his report. He gently touches the bruise on my diaphragm, causing me to whimper in pain uncontrollably.

"Sora, what all did you see?" HE asks.

"I found her hiding in the bushes then she dashed from me, I followed her then I heard a yelp, followed by a thud, and then another. Once I reached her, she was laying in the grass with a bat beside her, as if… as if…"

"Someone was trying to kidnap her?" Kyo finishes for him. _"I knew I shouldn't have left her out there by herself! They are still prowling around the woods!"_ Kyo growls to himself, walking over to my side and setting his hand on my forehead.

"She'll recover in time." Yuki finishes, as Shigure grabs something out of the first aid for the fever, They slowly sit my up and force me to take the pill.

'You alright Kyo?' I ask him, pulling myself up onto the roof from his window.

"Ya, Just fine." He says without emotion. I give him a slight growl for not being open to me.

'You know, your temper has been cooling off more and more since Tohru has been here,' I try to change the subject,


	2. Chapter 2

'You know, your temper has been cooling off more and more since Tohru has been here,' I try to change the subject,

"What do you mean I'm getting soft?!" He shouts and me and I chuckle.

'Now, I never said that…' I tease him.

"Shut up! Your so annoying at times with you little riddles!" Kyo growls, then looks at me surprised, thinking he said the wrong thing, my face just blank. "I-I-I-I! I didn't mean-!" He was trying to save his life when I started chuckling. I crawl on my hands and knees over to him,

'Man! You fall for that every time!' I laugh and he growls. He suddenly gets me onto my back, gently, and is pinning my hands to the roof.

"Yet, I thought you were quicker than that to avoid me pinning you…" He says, our noses nearly touching. I smirk at him, grabbing his wrist and switch places with him.

'I thought you were quicker than that.' I chuckle, our noses still nearly touching, 'And I guess 'Cat-like reflexes' _still_ doesn't apply to you.'

"Hey!" he says gently, switching places with me, "I've beaten you once before, and I'll do it again."

'Can you?' I ask him raising a eyebrow, 'Or are you gonna go chase down a mouse?'

"You had to bring him in didn't you?" Kyo asks, pulling away. I prop myself up onto my elbows.

'If I didn't then that was gonna go on forever…' I chuckle sitting up fully.

I lay beside Kyo who is on his back watching the stars, I press myself closer to him, my eyes still closed. I begin to hear Tohru and Kagura chat, their voices muffled so I cant understand, sleep then begins to grip me as I fall asleep against Kyo. The last thing I remember is Kyo shifting and his arm wrapping around me, pulling me closer to him.

I wake faintly to Tohru scaring him.

"Kyo?" she asked.

"Ahh! Be quiet!" he whispered the last part, pointing at me.

"Sorry, but you guys aren't planning on staying up here the whole night are you?" She wonders,

"Better believe it! Kagura's still down there!" He shouts/whispers, moving away from me and sitting up,

"You don't want her to be here?"

"What'd you think! You see what happens when she's around. Its always like that, she's crazy! And she wont ever shut up about all the marriage crap. I cant stand it." I growls.

"I thinks its sweet. When you have someone who loves you as much as she does, you should really feel pretty lucky, you know? And I think every girl dreams of getting married one day,"

_That's what you think, I'd rather not plan my future ahead of time, thank-you-very-much…_

"Kagura just dreams a little… louder than most." She suddenly gasps like she's remembered something, and goes back down the ladder. I open one of my eyes once she returned.

"Here you go." She says handing him 3 rice balls.

_Sure forget me! But hey, they think I'm asleep- OH! Idea!_ I mentally do a evil laugh and evil smirk, planning my trap.

"Kyo, you have a dream too don't you? Too beat Yuki? Isn't that why you were up in the mountains so long, training?" Tohru asks him,

"Hmm? Ya-oh, guess Shigure told you."

"That must've been really hard, being out there all by yourself-But you weren't completely alone, you must've had Okami with you!" She tries to save her tail.

"No, she wasn't there, certain things lead to another before we could head off. She just up and disappeared, I didn't realize she was with me the whole time… just… hidden… But I was with my master."

"Ooh! A master? He must be really strong then!"

"Are you kidding? He could flatten that sissy Rat-boy with one punch! My master is as strong as they come. He's a Sohma but he never treated me like the others do. He's been teaching me how to fight ever since I was a little kid. Sure, he put me through crap up there in the mountains but those were some of the best days of my life! It's like everyday was an adventure you-know!?" he says standing up, "I'd ask myself every morning 'What's he gonna teach me? How much stronger am I gonna get today? Its great! Ah, just listen to me, Just talking about it gets me pumped up!" He then freezes, noticing Tohru's look then sitting down, his little anime ears out, "This must seem pretty stupid to someone like you huh?"

"No-No! Its fascinating! I just don't know anything about fighting that's all. Not to say that I'm not interested to learn! And I do know a little bit…" I zone her out, but her words still reach me, making me jump up and cover her mouth.

'Don't you ever be quiet?' I ask her snarling, surprising them. I pull my hand away and sit up fully resting my head on my hand, my eyes instinctively closing.

"I guess someone is sleepy." Kyo whispers in my ear, which tickles.

'At least I don't sulk each time I don't win something.' I retort sourly.

"Well its better than dashing into the woods and returning several days later."

'That's your guys' fault, plus, I only do that to get rid of your stupid babbling.' I snarl, forgetting Tohru was there until she made little noises. I then realize me and Kyo or nose-to-nose, staring each other in the eyes. I punch him in the gut then standing up and doing a back flip and grabbing a branch above me, and pulling myself up.

"Kyo! Darling! My love, take care of yourself till I come back!" Kagura hugs Kyo while Sora bugs me. I dash out of the house, and Kagura follows, a bit upset because of something Kyo did. She collides with me and rams me into the Mailman.

_CRAP! _

Then…

_Poof…_

Yuki gets rid of him while I push myself off Kagura and grab her gently by the back of the neck and pull her to her feet.

"Hey I think I figured out Kagura's Zodiac animal!" Tohru says cheerfully.

"I think that's cheating." Shigure whines.

"And who else is what animal?" Yuki asks.

"What do you…" She lays eyes on my while I get a scratch behind my ear. I freeze my hand paw on my ear. I drop my paw and look at Tohru who is staring at me, holding Kagura.

"She's the…" She begins.

"The Gray wolf from the Canadian Zodiac, just like Sora is the Coyote." Shigure says. I snarl at her, my chain rattling together. My hackles rise up but then I feel a tug on my chain. I whip around and nearly bite Sora's arm and I dash away.

_You'll always be a outcast dear sister, never forget it! No one will ever love you besides me… _a familiar voice rings inside my head.

"Bye! I'll bring you a new shirt next time!" Kagura and Sora call as I sit on the porch cross-legged, holding my head up on my hand which is propped up against my leg. Tohru waves goodbye to her while Kyo has his back to her and Yuki just watches her leave. I chuckle at Kyo's expression.

'Calm down, she is gone, she wont be back till Valentines Day.'

"Hey, you'll see Sora again around that time also." Kyo retorts, and my heart sinks and I let my head drop.

'Crap…' I whine, but then recovering.

"I guess we should get going now." Tohru says but then Sora comes dashing back.

"One last hug and a kiss my dearest Okami!" he calls and tackles me, his lips pressed against mine, pinning me against the door of the house. Luckily Kyo pulls him off me after a second.

"Whats your problem Sora?" he asks, kicking him away, "GO HOME!"

"Good-Bye!" he calls and running back to Kagura as I wipe my lips.

'I swear, I'm gonna strangle him some day, and it wont be pretty.' I snarl.

"Well we should be heading off, Bye!" Tohru waves to us as they head off.

"So, what do you want to do today?" Shigure asks, looking back at me once their out of ear-shot. I glare at him.

'Want to loose to another game of Poker?' I ask and he agrees and we head

inside.

"I just found out the renovations are done," Tohru says sadly. I freeze in mid-kick with Kyo blocking it, we were training with each other, seeing how quick our reflexes are. Me and Kyo are confused while Shigure is sad and shocked.

"I-I, a, got a phone call from my grandfather up at the school. He told me." She continues.

"Ah, I see and if memory serves, your planning on moving back into the house once the work was done is that right?" Shigure asks.

"What renovations?" me and Kyo say at the same time, my talking getting better, but still not quite understandable.

"Oh, I guess I never told you." Shigure says turning to look at us.

"So what? Tell me now." he demands.

"Well, you see. After mom died, I went to live with my grandfather, on my father's side, but then I found out that my aunt and her husband were gonna move in the house with us, so grandfather decided it would be a good idea to get some remodeling done, you know, to make more room for everyone. So he went away to stay with my aunt while the work was going on, and I stayed here so I wouldn't miss school. Well I didn't stay here-here, not at first I mean I lived in a tent for awhile-" She babbles on.

"No wonder that area stunk of uncleanness. I always thought Shigure and Yuki decided to dump there trash in that area, so I stayed clear, even tough hunger nearly drew me to that area." I whisper to myself, no releasing that Tohru stopped to see what I was saying. I look back up at her then shrug, inviting her to go on.

"But anyway, now that they've finished with all the construction. It looks like I can go back."

"OK! Enough already!" Kyo shouts. Then realizes he shouted and lowers his tone, looking away. "I get it."

"I'm sorry I just thought," Her voice trails off.

"Don't mind him," Shigure tries to comfort her while I kick Kyo in the shin.

"OW! What was that for!?" He asks hoping on one foot holding his injured shin.

'Gotta be quicker.' I joke.

"I think we caught him a little off guard with the news is all. We just witnessed a classic example of what I like to call 'miss-directed-rage' I believe the technical term is being a jerk." Shigure goes on.

"YOU ARE SO FULL OF IT!" Kyo shouts at him.

"I guess I can understand, this does seem sudden."

"I suppose I should go ahead and get my things packed while I still have the rest of the afternoon, I'll try to be out-of-your-way by this evening."

Kyo's skin begins t steam when I touch his shoulder but slightly cools as he whips around and crosses his arms.

"Please don't hurry on our account, feel free to take as much time as you need."

"Thanks, but I'm sure they can use my help straitening up and everything. Huh, like the saying goes 'never put of till tomorrow when you can do today'." She smiles and gets up.

"So then I'll be right upstairs if you need me." She says while opening to door to go to her room. I sniff the air get Yuki's shocked-scent.

_Poor kid, she was the first one he could really open up to. Even if it was a little bit…_ I think sadly, I guess Kyo and Shigure noticed since they asked me what was wrong.

"Ah nothing." I growl turning around and heading off.

"Where you going?" Shigure asks.

"A WALK! GOT A PROBLEM?" I shout back angrily.

"Phew, I thought Okami was gonna cry for a moment there…" Shigure breathes.

"I'M NOT A CRYBABY LIKE A CERTAIN _SOMEONE!_" I shout back, inferring to him, who whines all the dang time!

"Aren't you going to try? To stop her I mean." Shigure asks dully.

"Why would I? We've known from the start that she was only staying here till the remodeling was finished." Yuki replies. I zone them out.

I don't bother to say good-bye as she leaves, I just watch her as I sit on the roof, my feet dangling off the side. She stops and looks back after us, a final goodbye wave, a forced smile and then she looks at me and I snap my head away.

_Just leave! don't make us suffer any more! _I growl in my head, I decide to look back and she is vanishing behind the trees.

"Tohru! I'm starving! Whats for breakfast?" Shigure calls as he walks into the kitchen. I sit beside the door, my knees to my chest, and slowly rocking myself back and forth. We glare at him. "I forget, our dear sweet Tohru is gone. Gone, gone away." He says sadly, looking at the ceiling.

"That sounded like you forgot on purpose." Yuki says in that creepy mad tone.

"No! Of course not! That would be pretty despicable don't you think? But you know, without Tohru here it feels like all the fire has gone out of this kitchen, doesn't it? Suddenly it feel so cold and dreary." he whines.

"Shut up!" I whisper as he was saying all of that.

"JUST SHUT UP!" I scream at the end of his sentence. Everyone looks at me.

"ITS TOHRU THIS! TOHRU THAT! WELL FORGET ABOUT HER! SHE IS GONE! AND SHE ISNT COMING BACK! SHE SHUT UP!" I continue to yell as I get in his face.

"You going to eat Okami?" Yuki asks concerned as I sit in the corner hidden by the shadows, only my eye shine showing.

"I want nothing to do with anything Tohru did for us, feel free to have mine, I'd rather starve." I snarl at him, even though my stomach growls loudly, sure enough they can hear it.

"Come on Okami, its better than going hungry." Kyo tries at getting me to eat.

"No…" I say sternly,

"Come on Okami, don't you want to eat more of-" Shigure begins.

"Say her name and I swear you'll never see the light of day and only the blackness of _death…_" I snarl at him, cutting him off and shudders run down his spine.

I sit in a nearby tree as I stare at the moon with Kyo on the roof staring at it also, wondering…

_Is she looking at the same moon as us, or is she asleep, being glad to be away from us? _I snarl at the thought then push it to the back of my mind.

I sneak into the Honda and hide in the shadows from under a table, a boy with glasses sits at the table, a older women is looking at a paper while a girl is doing whatever on the other side of the counter.

"Oh hello! I'm back for the day." Tohru says cheerfully as she walks in to the room.

"Tohru, could you spare a moment?" the older women asks as she looks at her.

"Sure."

"It's my understanding that you've been living in a house with 3 men, is that right?"

"No way! You were shacked-upped? Nice going." the girl says. Tohru tries to correct them but they continue on.

"I had a detective agency to do some checking up on you." the older women says.

"Yeah, no kidding, so those kind of things still exist in now-a-days." the girl comments.

"I don't understand, why would you go to all that trouble, I wasn't the only girl there also." Tohru says.

"On account of our oldest son, it's his dream to become a policemen so you can see it might cause a problem for him, anyone is his family might have criminal record."

"I can give you a criminal record…" I snarl under my breath, not loud enough for someone to hear me though.

"At first I did think hiring a detective agency seemed a bit extreme until I remembered how wild Kyoko was in her youth. 'Like mother, like daughter' they say, or so I feared. Now as long as your living in this house I have to ask you not to do anything so reckless in the future." the boy stands up,

"Tell us Tohru, living in a house with 3 guys, I bet you had all sorts of fun, didn't you?" He asks,

_I'm gonna strangle you! _I snarl in my mind, mentally strangling him. Everyone is shocked when Tohru's grandfather slaps him across the face.

_Do worse than that! _I whine slightly, still making sure no one can see or hear me.

"Grandpa, what did you d-ah.." She tries to say but is still shocked.

"Don't you know how to do anything besides ridicule others? Tohru, I apologize, please don't think poorly of them, their just disagreeable folks by nature." he turns to her smiling.

"Grandpa! What has gotten into you?" The old women asks.

"You cant say that!" the teenager complains, almost like an order. Tohru leaves the room and a quietly sneak after her, not being seen still.

"Tohru? Please understand, this family is dear to me and this is where I live. Even if they do say a few thoughtless things…" I zone him out. I then refocus when she covers her crying eyes with her sleeves.

"The truth is, I didn't want to leave them at all. It felt like I belonged there, I want to stay in that house. With Yuki, Kyo, Shigure and even the bad-tempered Okami, yet she was so kind at times, even if she didn't talk much besides a few jumbled words. I wanted to stay." She drops her arm when she hears Yuki.

"In that case, Why not come home?" He asks. I stand up from under the table and stretch my bones popping.

"Yuki?" She says shocked.

"Who is this?" the old women asks. Kyo then grabs Tohru's head from behind.

"Come on, lets go." Kyo states.

"Kyo? You're here too? But then… Ah…" She is cut off as Kyo begins to take her outside but I stop him.

"What, not gonna let me say hello?" I ask as I suddenly appear behind the 3 new members to the house, they all look at me.

"Okami?!" They say shocked as I push my way through the 3.

'What?' I ask my hands in my pocket, "Ok! I swear, if this house gets any hotter I'm gonna melt.' I growl slipping my sweatshirt off to reveal my under armor shirt that is skin tight that you can see my bones from going hungry. I shrug it off and stand beside Yuki, my back to them.

"I hope you don't mind, we let ourselves in. Can I find Miss. Honda's stuff upstairs?" He asks.

"now just a moment, who are you, and what is going on here?" The women says still a bit shocked but recovering.

"Don't we'll be out of your way before you know it." Yuki smiles.

"Ooh, I get it now! These must be the 3 guys the tramp was shacking up with." The boy says,

"Who you calling a guy?" I ask, looking at him over my shoulder, and I make sure he sees my 2 inched canines. Yuki walks towards him, but I intercept upper cutting the kid.

"Don't you ever talk about Miss. Honda that way again, you low-life." He says threateningly.

"And you'll get much worse than that if you even come near her, the only person I allow of you 4 is her Grandfather." I snarl, punching my hand. The boy sits up- shocked, his glasses are thrown clear off his face. Kyo takes the shocked Tohru out of the house while Me and Yuki go get her stuff, I snarl at the 2 that are still standing as I walk by, my hands in my pockets.

"Can we go please? I-I wanna go home. Take me back to the house now, ok?" She asks, sobbing slightly. I throw Kyo the bags as I slip under Tohru, getting her onto my back, giving her a piggy back ride.

"You got it!" I smile looking at her over my shoulder.

"Wow, Okami's smiling! At it isn't in a evil way either!" Kyo says, pretending to be shocked.

'Back off, because its not staying.' I switch from happy to a fake angry and he backs off and I chuckle. We walk home together.

On the path to the house were Shigure is waiting outside, Tohru is now holding Yuki's and Kyo's hands, Kyo is looking away into the trees and I look at him with a plan and yank us over and force him into a tree. We chuckle and I drop Tohru and run, doing a flip in the air and use Shigure as a shield.

"YOU"LL NEVER GET ME, COPPER!" I shout dashing back to Tohru. I grab Yuki's shoulders a pull my feet into the air doing a handstand on his shoulders.

"Tohru and Yuki, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" I taunt flipping off and keeping a distance between me and Kyo, Yuki and Tohru look at each other and blush, pulling their hands apart looking away from each other.


	3. Chapter 3

"Thanks so much!" Tohru says to Shigure when we walk in, my hair up in a ponytail and clipped u so it dangles in front of my face.

"Huh?" we say at the same time.

"Oh, Shigure said I could tell Hana and Uo where I live now." She tells us and I instantly tense up.

"Are you insane! You have no idea how much trouble your putting these 3 through! Do you want to get your memory erased!?" I panic, my body twitching with shock and anger.

"I-I'm sorry…" She whispers.

"Don't mind her, she is just not used to this kind of stuff, we never really have had visitors." Yuki covers my mouth and traps me, forcing me to look at the floor until I calm down, letting my body relax he finally lets go.

"High school girls! High school girls! 1,2,3 high school girls! Ha, I cant help but wonder what kind of girls these friends of Tohru's are." Shigure says polishing the table while and lean against Kyo.

"A Yankee and I psychic." Kyo tells him.

_Ring, ring._

"They're here!" Tohru gets up and answers the door.

"I'm think this was a bad idea." Kyo says to us.

'No…! I think it was a great one!' I say sarcastically, pretending to think it was a great one then banging my head against the table.

"Just don't do anything stupid." Yuki mumbles and Kyo growls at him.

"That goes double for you, you dang rat!"

'If you guys fight, I swear I'll have your hides as sheets.' I threaten them and they shrink away as I go back to banging my head.

"There's a dog." a crazy girl says flatly, scaring us all, making my freeze with my head on the table. "Over there."

"oh! Yes that's a dog!" Shigure says as I grip my chest with relief.

"So, these are my friends Arisa Uotani and Saki Hanajima." She introduces them.

"Hey." Uo says giving a slight wave.

"A pleasure." Hana says flatly like always.

"Welcome, Welcome, please make yourself right at home." Shigure says chuckling.

"Say, its Shigure right, This is your place? So what do you do to pay the rent around here?" Uo asks.

"Oh, me? I'm a writer, a novelist actually."

"Did you say you're a novelist?" Tohru says surprised,

"Why the hack are you so surprised?" Up asks her.

"This is the first she's heard of it." Hana answers her.

"Right I really had no idea."

"What was it again? Fine literature or something?" Yuki asks him.

"oh, Uh-ha, That's right! This sort of story." he holds up a book and I lift my head up and gets ready to face punch him but Kyo grabs my hand. As we are still shocked. "Oh, sorry my mistake," he says looking at the book the grabbing the real one. "This is my real work, this one here was just something I did for fun."

"So that makes it ok to write the dimes tore smut?" Uo growls.

"You're a sicko, you know that!" Kyo growls also,

"What were you thinking?"

"Shigure! That's amazing! And to think I actually know someone as important as a novelist!" Tohru says as we look at her shocked.

"Careful Miss. Honda, you don't want to inflate his ego to much." Yuki warns her.

"Like his head could get any bigger than it already is." Kyo mutters releasing me. Shigure chuckles.

"Well enough about me, how about you tells us about yourselves? You could start by telling us how you meet Tohru. I zone out while they talk, not realizing I passed out on Kyo's shoulder. I feel someone poking my cheek and I realize it's Uo. I open my eyes and jump away, baring my teeth at her.

"What is your problem?" She asks, as I stare at her, eyes wide, teeth bared, my 2 inch canines showing. "Wow, look at those canines, are they real?" Uo whispers to herself.

"Don't worry, she just isn't used to being around these many people. She is more like a rouge wolf, prefers isolation over company." Yuki says with a forced chuckle towards me.

'Speak for yourself!' I snarl, death glaring him. We start arguing and I end up standing to yells at him and he remains sitting, only looking up at me. I feel a tug on my chain and I sit down forcefully.

"Man, you calmed her just by grabbing that chain around her neck?" Uo says shocked. I glare at Kyo who is holding it, my eyebrow twitches,

"It doesn't calm her but it stops her for a short period of time." Yuki says, coolly.

"OH, hey Tohru." Uo says looking at Tohru who is in the door way,

"I'm sorry, I didn't expect this to happen." Tohru says smiling.

'Stop apologizing for everything we do!' I glare at her.

"I'm sorry…" She whispers.

"Sorry for what?" Uo asks.

"She was replying to her." Hana answers.

"I don't get it."

"Okami here, she doesn't prefer to talk but she will on her own. So we learned to read what she says by her body language and eye flickers." Yuki explains.

'I'm out of here!' I mutter breaking away from Kyo and walks off.

"She's not very friendly is she?" Hana asks Uo.

"No kidding."

"Don't mind her, she may be as tough as stone on the outside but she is as soft as clouds on the inside Tohru says smiling and I look at her. She sneaks around me as I leave.

"Ugh, Hey Yuki are you-?" Kyo starts when we see the sleepy Yuki. Kyo starts making these weird noises, a heartbeat after Yuki's forehead meets his shoulder.

"So Yuki, I see you are having a hard time waking up as usual.

"Ya, Ya! Just keep moving will ya?" Kyo then calms down a bit as Yuki heads off, slumped over.

"Wow Kyo, as much as You beat Yuki, you don't try to sneak up on him when he is like this, its very adverbial."

"No that's not it. Its not like that, he's stronger when he is half asleep."

"Ha, so you have tried to attack him them."

"Ya! I've tried! I got beat ever worse than when he was awake ok? Do you what that means, it means that stupid, dirty sissy rat-boy is always holding back on me! UGH!" Kyo gets uppercut by Yuki.

"What gives? I thought you were still out of it!" Kyo recovers.

"He still is, despite saying he isn't." I yawn tiredly, walking over to Kyo and standing beside him, slightly slouched.

"SHUT UP! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND IT!" Kyo shouts at me and I glare at him.

"Its just like from the Zodiac idiot. You hate Yuki for what the rat did to the cat." I mumble.

"OH JUST BE QUIET FOR ONCE!" HE shouts at me and I look away.

"Kyo!" Yuki growls,

'Don't bother, he's right, Only by speaking do I annoy people… Just like before…' I turn to leave only to be confronted by Uo and Hana.

"A cat and a mouse. That's what their like." Hana says scaring Yuki and Kyo, making their hair stand on end.

"You think?" Uo asks.

"The way they're fighting, its just like a cat and mouse. Like the one's in the old cartoon."

"Ya. Something other and Jerry."

'It's exactly the same, The rat outsmarts the cat. Yet the rat will get caught at some point, while the cat will fail at everything…' I leave.

"Okami…?" Tohru says as I leave only to be confronted by Shigure.

'What do you want?' I ask him as everyone is watching us now.

"You know Kyo meant none of that stuff." He says softly.

'Yet he was right, all I ever do is annoy people by being around.' I go to push myself around him but he grabs me and pulls me into his arms, pressing me against his body as I try to struggle away.

"We all care about you Okami, whatever Kyo says that's mean, he doesn't mean it."

'What do you know?'

"Nothing really, just that I'm certain that our love for you is strong that no matter what happens, we'll always be by your side." Shigure says holding me tighter. I eventually give up sleep taking over my body.

"Looks like someone is still tired." Shigure says gently pulling my half limp body away from him. "Yuki, do you mind?"

"Not at all." He smiles.

'No need, I can walk still.' I yawn again as I weakly pull myself away from Shigure and take a couple of unsteady steps away before falling to my knees.

"Okami?" Tohru asks as I fall backwards from tiredness.

"What time did she get back."

"3 minutes ago." I mumble and Shigure chuckles,

"No wonder your so tired." Kyo mumbles as Yuki picks me up in his arms and carries me to my room.

"YUKI!" Momiji calls as he jumps onto his shoulders. "You look like a girl."

"Momiji, your not to go running off by yourself." Hatori scolds him.

"I didn't go by myself, Okami was with me!" Momiji whines

"Where is she then?" Hatori asks.

I chuckle loudly, eyes closed. Everyone looks up to see me. I sit on top of the surprisingly thick chalk board.

'Man Yuki! You look like an idiot!' I begin to laugh harder as I hide my red face. 'I cant tell if you're a man or a woman. With your girly features that is.'

"Shut up Okami, please…" he mutters and everyone gasps. I try to stop laughing, but I only manage to lower it enough to a chuckle.

"I swear your as childish as Momiji at times Okami." Hatori sighs,

'Who you calling childish?' I glare at him as I switch from laying on my side, my elbow propping me up, to sitting on my rear, feet dangling.

"Yuki, Kyo. I see your both looking well." Hatori greets them.

"Hatori!" Yuki gasps. All the girls slowly begin to recover from Yuki's rudeness to me. I leap down from the top of the chalk board and land beside Yuki.

'You look like an idiot!' I nudge him with my elbow

"Your dressing like Momiji." He retorts.

'Blame that dang Hatori! He said my clothes weren't 'formal enough for public.'' I growl doing hand quotes at _'formal enough for public'_.

"Hi there! I'm Momiji Sohma, and this guy here with me is Hatori Sohma, and ya, we are two of Yuki and Kyo's relatives." Momiji introduces us.

"And that is Okami Sohma, she may not be related to us but Sohma blood runs in her veins. And why Yuki was being rude to her is because she is bad tempered!"

I growl under my breath as boys surround me. The girls then surround Momiji and Hatori knowing why Yuki was being rude. I become wheezy. Yuki looks to me worried as I drop to my knees, panting. He lowers himself down with me to make sure that I'm ok, one of his hands on my back.

"Ok, that's enough, let her breathe." Hatori orders them and they back away and I cough and gasp for air.

'People are trying to kill me already!' I mumble getting light headed as Hatori makes sure I'm ok before he begins Yuki's check up.

"Hatori's a doctor."

"So why is he here?"

"Couldn't we have found a better time for this?" Yuki asks him as I shakily stand up, still coughing.

"You alright?" Tohru asks putting her hand on my shoulder. I give her a tiny nod as I continue to cough, my chest hurting. Kyo comes over and pats my back gently. I give one more cough and I breathe normal.

'I'm ok! I'm ok!' I mutter shooing them off.

"We did, we had a appointment, and you know you cant skip your monthly check up.

"Check up? Yuki, why would you need a check up? Is there something wrong?" Tohru asks.

'Don't worry, he isn't the only one who needs one. Mine is long over due. By what, 5 years?' I ask Hatori and he nods. Remembering the pain I had been in that whole time comes at my light a lightning strike.

"Sort of." Yuki replies,

"Yuki's bronchiole tubes are fairly sensitive, he used to suffer from frequent asthma attacks when he was a child. It was a condition he is gradually growing out off, Okami also but something worse is taking it's place." Hatori explains as he goes to check me. I mock him and he flicks my nose and I flick his in return. He checks my breathing and all sorts of stuff. When he nears the end he pulls out 2 needles and a vile. I tense up , staring at the needle with wide eyes.

'Stay away from me with that thing!' I growl, death glaring him as I cross my arms.

"Okami, you know you have to take one, so might as well just suck it up." Hatori orders and I growl at him as he comes closer then he grabs the chain on my neck and I roll up my sleeve and give it to him while faintly growling.

"Umm…" Tohru goes to say something as I stay away from Hatori.

"She's always hated shots." Yuki informs.

"You little brat! Do you know what you almost did?" Kyo growls.

"Your going to be grounded for 1 week. Tohru they're scaring me."

"Leave her alone, its your own dang fault"

"I'm very disappointed in your. Your very lucky that Yuki was able to distract them." I zone out.

"Now I do think it's time to go home." Hatori says once I pay attention against.

"Aww… I wanted to talk to Tohru some more." Momiji complains.

"Yes it would be a shame that you couldn't stay a bit longer." Tohru says sweetly, as Momiji pouts on her head,

"Take a moment then, I'll give you that long to say your good-byes." Hatori says, wavering a bit.

"Hari, your so dull."

"You heard him now go home!" Kyo orders.

"Oh yes, I almost forgot something very important. Yuki, Kyo Okami, stand over there please." Hatori instructs as We take up our positions.

"What?" We whine.

"I want you to give me a simple answer to this question. What is the last letter of the alphabet?"

"'Z'" We say at the same time and he snaps a picture.

"Akito wanting to take a picture while I was here. That should be a very nice shot. So long then."

"Good bye!" Momiji calls.

"HATORI!" Me and Kyo growl.

"Come back here!" Kyo dashes after him.

I zone out Yuki and Tohru as I lean against the wall. I let out a big yawn when they start staring at each other.

"Ok, what did that dang Hatori put in that… *yawn*… shoot…" my eyes droop. Before I know it, I'm out cold.

I wake to talking; I yawn, still tired.

"This is the address to the Sohma estate, I want you to come by on your next day off. I have several very important matters to discuss, and matters go without saying. You are not allowed to speak of this meeting with Yuki or the others, and your not allowed to refuse my request, I'm a being clear?"

"Don't worry! I'll be here to keep an eye on you, same as Okami. So you should come over!"

"I didn't know you were here." Tohru says still shocked.

"Momiji…" Hatori says,

"Hey, if I was her, I'd be scared to be alone with a creepy guy like you. So your gonna come right Tohru?" no answer.

'Don't even think about erasing her memory Hatori, I don't care what that dang idiot says, I'm making sure the Tohru is safe.' I growl at him, standing now, 'I'll make sure of that…' My voice fades as he knocks me out with a pressure point in my neck and also being forced to carry me back to Yuki and Kyo.

"Please relax, make yourself comfortable." Hatori instructs as he opens the sliding curtain thing to let light into the room. Tohru suddenly looks worried.

"Tohru, you don't look like you feel to good. You want Hari to look at you? He is a doctor you know." Momiji blabs.

"No, I'm alright every things fine!"

"I am a doctor, yes. But my practice is devoted exclusively to the Sohma family, and I should say that Akito in particular. He suffers frequent illness and requires much of my time." Hatori informs.

"Oh, I had no idea." Tohru answers.

'He wouldn't get sick so often if we took better care of himself instead of sulking in the rat trap of a room the maids are forced to clean.' I snarl, staring wide-eyed with rage at the floor.

"You shouldn't talk about him that way Okami, you are his tw-" Momiji begins.

"Momiji!" Hatori inquires.

"Sorry."

"Anyways, my time is very valuable, right to the point then?"

"Ah, sure…"

"Even within the Sohma family itself, there are few that know our secret in regard to the Zodiac. It is exceedingly rare that a outsider like yourself should come to learn of it. Ordinarily, this would've been corrected at once, but thus far, Akito has made a exception in your case. Tell me, do you enjoy living there? At Shigure's house?"

"Yes, very much."

"All the more reason you should leave."

'Say what? She has nothing to be afraid of! None of us would hurt her!' I snarl, but he ignores me.

"It would be best if you had nothing further to do with the Sohma's. leave Shigure's house and return to your family. Is it reasonable, is it not? Knowing Shigure, I doubt he wont say anything to you," He gets up and heads to the window. "there are many darks erects with8in the 'House of Sohma'. Life among is not as pleasant as you seem to believe. An evil shadow looms over this family, that is the nature of our curse. Before you come to regret being involve with the Sohmas, leave them." Tohru looks at me and I get up and walk towards the door, I leave the room and notice a couple kids running around in the halls. A young girl and a young boy. They looks strangely familiar yet they don't.

_Leave now before you bring more chaos into this family! Leave and never return! NEVER! _a voice shouts in my head. I turn around and dodge Tohru and Momiji. Tohru looks back at me as I yank my gaze from her and leave the house, heading outside.

"You miss her, don't you?" I ask him setting my hand on his shoulder.

"No. She is happy, and I'm happy that she is." He replies softly,

"You don't have to lie to me Hatori, I wont tell anyone." I mutter as I step in front of him and slide my hand into his. Intertwining our fingers. "Your not as cold as snow Hatori. Your as warm as a fire in in a fireplace. Your heart kindles that flame. I know you are trying to protect her. You don't want her to feel the same pain you did. But from the ashes of sorrow, grows a flower, that will blossom even brighter than the one before. And I know she can pull through the pain that is ahead, just like my dear sister, Okami." I whisper as she stands up and pulls me ever so gently closer to him. He moves some of my red hair out of my face as he lowers his face to mine.

"I know… I know…" He breathes, his sweet breathe tickling my nose as he leans in closer to as I lean in closer to him.

"The pain will fade, and new life will take its place." I mutter before our lips touch in a kiss. He gently presses his free hand against the back of my head. I slip my hand free as I wrap my arms around his neck and he sets his now-free hand on the lower part of my back.

"But you must also cherish the new life that grows, to keep it healthy and _alive…_" I whisper, once we break the kiss.

"It's snowing…" Tohru mutters as I hide behind the rock. "I knew it would snow today!" She turns around and sees Hatori watching her.

"I'm sorry, I guess I don't know anything about the Sohma's."

"And there is no reason why you should, I think it best that you forgot what Momiji and Okami told you.

"Does that mean… that you've forgotten about her, Hatori?" Tohru dares to ask.

"Its, all in the past."

"I'm sorry,"

"There is nothing to apologize for. I do still speak with Kana from-time-to-time, but that's all. Now I wonder if you'll be so kind to excuse me, I believe I've said enough for one day." Hatori gives a slight bow and goes to head back inside.

"Oh, no please. I'd really like it if you'd stay. You could show me around the house." Her foot suddenly slips. Hatori quickly grabs her arm and catches her, breaking her fall as they both fall into whatever this thing is called, don't really care though either.

_Poof…_

_Fool, she would have been fine… she falls all the time… _I snarl as I stand up and step out from behind the rock.

"Throw him in the tub." I growl before walking away.

"Hatori?" A girl's voice says behind me, I turn around to see a girl that looks vaguely familiar. Her hair is a dull bright red, like a fox's. She wears a blouse with skinny jeans and is in her socks.

"Yes?" Hatori turns around to see the girl.

"I heard what happened! Are you ok?" She asks worried dashing towards him. Our shoulders bang into each other. Everything then spins quickly and I stumble backwards, the girl stops and everyone looks at me. I slowly back away and feel my back hit the wall. I slide down, my hands covering the sides of my face. Everything turns black…


	4. Chapter 4

Everything then spins quickly and I stumble backwards, the girl stops and everyone looks at me. I slowly back away and feel my back hit the wall. I slide down, my hands covering the sides of my face. Everything turns black. _Slowly a room forms and a tall woman stands above me, two kids my age hiding in the corner._

"_Monster! This is all your fault!" She howls as she lowers herself down and slaps me across the face making me roll onto my stomach._

"_I didn't do anything!" I plead as I slowly push myself up. "I didn't do anything wrong! I do as you say! Like always!" tears form at the corners of my eyes as I look up at her, full of fear._

"_HA! You expect me to believe the word of a killer? You killed your own brothers! You killed them!" She screams kicking me and beating._

"_MOMMY! She didn't do anything! It was me! I broke the vase! Don't take it out on Okami!" the girl with the fox red hair pleads._

"_You did nothing wrong sweetie, your sister is just trying to blame it on you." the women says gently and softly, turning to her, then she whips back around to me and slaps me sending me down to the floor._

"_Killer!"_

"_Fumiko! Leave her alone!" A man's voice shouts as he protects me._

"_You protect a beast like that? The only worthy ones to live in this family is Kitsune and me, Akito is already gonna die! And you two should join him!" she shouts at him as the man picks me up and holds me close to him as I sob._

"_You're a fool, your going to go see Hatori tomorrow, I don't care if you object either you go easy or I'm dragging your worthless body there, and we're getting a divorce! _Ugly freak!" _he whispers the last part to himself as he carries me away._

I feel a cool hand on my forehead. I snap my eyes open and jump with surprise. My eyes are wide as I stare at the girl in front of me.

"You alright?" She asks Hatori is by her side, I breathe heavily. I snarl pushing them away and storming out.

"I'm home!" Shigure calls.

"Me too, we're here." Tohru calls also, "Sorry we're so late." She opens the door to find 3 people asleep, the news channel still on. Yuki is laying on the table, his legs are covered while Kyo is laying on his side, a pillow beneath him. His legs up to his waist is covered; Okami is basically asleep on his legs, her body barely covered, hair slightly covering her face.

"Guess sitting around the heater got the be a little bit to comfortable." Shigure sighs.

"I guess so, and Okami called down." Tohru replies.

"It might be dangerous to try and wake them up. Why don't we let them sleep for a while?" Shigure suggests.

"Ok, I'll cook us something to eat in a moment." Tohru says as she walks towards Okami and lowers herself down and covers her up more.

_I want to feel like this forever, at peace. Having the Sohmas in my life has made everything exciting. Especially having Okami in it. She is just like a wounded dog, wont let you near until it can trust you, then it will open up to you and let you help. Oh Mom, I really hope our lives with them doesn't end. _Tohru thinks smiling at Okami as she slightly stirs, but only to snuggle closer to Kyo, gripping his jacket in her hand. Looking so… peaceful. _I hope she trusts me soon, and let me help her. Soon… _She stands up and heads off to make something to eat for Shigure and herself.

After eating, Tohru checks up on Yuki, Kyo and Okami. Kyo had switched sides, and Yuki had fallen onto his side, snuggled into the blanket. Okami is still laying on Kyo and is still gripping his shirt. Tohru smiles slightly as she heads upstairs to get ready for bed.

New Years = week off from school, cleaning (boring! Just kill me now!), and New Years Banquet! Yuk!

"Okami?!" Tohru asks shocked and everyone looks at me as I hop my way down the stairs. I prick my ears, interested.

"Is it that time of year already?" Shigure asks putting down his newspaper.

"I guess so, but this time she changed much earlier than last year."

"Ya, I wonder why." Kyo agrees,

"I'm sorry, but I don't understand?" Tohru is confused.

"After New Year, she transforms. She'll change back in 2-3 days. But each time she looks different." Shigure explains, "We don't really know why, it's a mystery to us."

"Different? How?"

"You'll just have to wait and find out." Shigure smiles,

'Devil.' I growl as I trot over to them, my tail weaving behind me.

_Knock, knock_

"Were we expecting anyone?" Kyo asks,

"Uo and Hana are here to help us with cleaning." Shigure reminds him, "Didn't you listen to Tohru?"

"Shut up!" he shouts as Tohru answers the door. I dash after her, my pet dog instincts kicking in. I skid to a halt and stare up at Uo, getting my personality back.

"When you get a new dog?" Uo asks.

"Oh! Um, uh." She tries to think of something quickly,

"We found her on the streets a couple days ago. She is almost done recovering." Yuki covers for her.

"Your wolf has the same electric signals as Okami." Hana says looking at me and I stare up at her.

"She is a big wolf then, bigger than any kind I've seen. You can almost ride her like a horse by how big she is." Uo kids and I drop my ears and growl at her, lowering my head.

"Easy girl! How about we go get you something to eat?" Tohru says, making me follow her, I reliantly go. My gaze not leaving Uo. Yuki allows them in then follows Tohru to the kitchen.

"Okami! Your gonna have to act like a real dog." Yuki informs me.

'Why should I? Shigure is the mutt in the house!' I snarl,

"But you're the one who looks like a dog, so just go with it already. You can still try to help us clean, even in wolf form like you always have." Kyo whispers like the rest of us.

'Fine! But don't blame me if someone gets hurt!" I snarl at them. I then feel something clip around my neck and I look dog to notice a collar.

'Really?' I drop one of my ears and look at Shigure who showed up with narrowed eyes.

"Gotta have a collar, plus! I got a leash!" HE smiles showing a black leash with dog bones on it.

'I'm a gonna strangle you all… But not Tohru, I like her.' I say whacking them in the face with my tail as I go out into the other room.

"Where is Okami? I thought she'd be here helping." Uo asks looking around,

"Yes, where is she?" Hana agrees,

"She is out getting groceries." Shigure says quickly,

"Will she be back soon?"

"Probably."

"Well then, shall we begin?"

"O course!" Tohru says excitedly.

"I swear, she might be the only one eager to get started." Kyo mumbles and I whack him with my tail.

I sit on the porch watching everything around me like a puppy interested in something. Tohru is batting something; Yuki is cleaning the paper doors, and then pushes to hard and puts a hole in it. Kyo shows up carrying a TV.

"Dang it! Cant you do anything right?" He growls,

"You're the last person I need to hear from right now." Yuki mumbles,

"What's that supposed to mean, you trying to start something?" Kyo retorts.

"Quit horsing around you two." Uo says as she dusts,

"Who asked you, you dirty Yankee!?" Kyo growls, she whips around and whips the thing she is holding around his mouth.

"You going to talk to me like that, when I came here to help you out of the goodness of my heart?" She asks and I roll my eyes,

'Like you got any.' I growl, pulling my front feet up and gently biting her arm to not break skin or hurt her, even if I want to. She lets him go and I trot after Kyo and Yuki to help them with the book case.

'Wouldn't it be better to take everything out?' I ask my back beginning to hurt as we struggle to move it, Shigure comes tip-toeing by.

"Shigure!" Yuki calls,

"Just in time! Give us a hand!" Kyo orders,

"Put your backs into it!" Shigure says helping instantly and His editor comes up.

"Hey! Shigure!" She looks angry.

"Memi! Come grab that end!" Shigure begs,

"You should be working on your Manuscript!" she glares,

"Come on, hurry!"

"Right!" She says coming over and grabbing the opposite end of Shigure. Much lighter be slowly begin to move it.

"Heave ho! Heave ho! Heave oh!" They chant as I struggle below them. "Heave-" She notices Shigure is missing,

"He's gone! Where is he?" She leaves us as we struggle worse.

"Hold on! Your gonna drop it!" Kyo growls,

"Timber!" Shigure calls from the bushes, the book case begins to tip. And it falls on to he door. "Lovely, they smashed the house again." He vanishes behind the bush. As we stare at the mess.

"It's your fault! Your end fell first you dang rat!" Kyo blames him.

"Really? Your eyes must be ask weak as your arms, you stupid cat." Yuki turns away from him. They begin to argue,

_Idiots… _I growl shaking my head,

"Umm excuse me but is everyone ok?" Tohru asks as Uo snaps they thing around his eyes and yanks him to the ground.

"Why does it always gotta be me?" Kyo whines,

"Why don't you get off your butt and start cleaning it up."

'I swear, I'll break that thing.' I snort narrowing my eyes at her.

Yuki is picking up the books while Tohru finishes fixing the door and Kyo is fixing the light I believe, Memi is looking for Shigure then knocks him down making him go through the door.

"You clumsy idiot!" Uo shouts as she goes to wrap the thing around his Ankle, I snarl and grab it in my jaws, glaring at her. She looks at me surprised. Tohru gasps with shock. I yank it from her grasp.

"Oka-I mean, sweetie! Bad girl! Let go." Tohru scolds me and I turn on her spitting the duster out and she backs away and Yuki grabs my collar and holds me back, I snap out of my rage and glare at him, calming down. I then look at Tohru with a ear raised in question.

'Sweetie? Sweetie was the best you could come up with?' I ask her and she shrugs.

"Kyo Dakota will be sticking with you for the rest of the day." Yuki tells him, "Maybe she'll keep you quiet."

"Stupid rat." Kyo growls and I whack him with my tail.

'Don't start another one or I'll break both your necks.' I threaten as Yuki lets go on my collar.

"If your not helping, you could at least get out of the way." Yuki says to Kyo who is sitting around doing nothing but petting me.

"You're the last person I need to hear from." he growls, his strokes getting rougher and I whack him with my tail, telling him to cool down or be hurt,

"Tohru maybe we'd better go on and do your shopping, Okami hasn't shown up yet at all." Uo says,

"She's probably skipping so she doesn't have to be around you." Kyo jokes. Uo whacks him,

"Shut up Orange-top."

"Good idea." Tohru agrees with her for shopping.

"Shopping? Great, but you'll need someone to help carry your things! I'll go to" Shigure says volunteering to help, Memi lassos a rope around his waist, "Oh Tohru, I'm sorry, something's come up so you'll have to find someone else to go with you!"

"So Miss. Honda, what you going to make?" Yuki asks, holding onto my leash.

"New Year's cake!" She says happily.

"Uh, New Year's cakes?" Yuki asks and our hearts drop.

"Uh-huh. I just hope I've pricked out ingredients everyone likes."

"Oh, Shigure, Kyo, Okami and I will be going back to the main house tonight. I'm sorry. I really should've explained earlier, It's sort of a Sohma Family Tradition. I, ah, I guess it was such an obvious thing to us that we'd be going that we completely forgot to mention it." Yuki apologizes,

'Who says I'm going?' I ask hotly.

"That's alright, I guess I'm getting a little to much, huh?" she puts the extras back. And I rub my head against her leg. We begin to hear giggling, a boy and girl running towards us.

"Uh! Yuki! Behind you look out!" Tohru says and Yuki whips around shocked. They nearly crash into them. But I quickly block them. They fall to the ground, tears in eyes. I whimper and lower my head down to their faces and lick them and they cheer up, give me a hug and run back off.

'Close call.' I grumble, turning back to them.

"I'm sorry about this, I was supposed to carry your thing for you." Yuki says, looking up at Tohru from her pocket.

"No, No! its ok! I don't mind, really! It's no trouble at all." Tohru looks down at him, my leash is on her wrist while I carry a couple bags in my jaws.

'What I don't get is why a random kid would run up and hug you.' I wonder looking at him and they shrug. 'They probably got dared, luckily no one saw.'

"Ya! That would have been bad!" Tohru chuckles. I catch the scent of something odd. I stop and look around.

'Do you mind for a moment?' I ask looking at Tohru.

"Sure, we'll wait!" She smiles and un hooks me and I trot off into the tree line following the scent. I notice something hiding, I trot over to hit and find a injured fox lying on the ground. Her sightless eyes stare up at me.

"Okami?" She asks,

"Kitsune?" I ask shocked,

"You remember?" She asks shocked standing up,

"I have flashes, but we better get you help, where are your clothes?"

"In the bush." She points with her tail.

"I'll be right back." I tell her and I go grab her clothes and set them on her and dash back to Yuki and Tohru,

'Found something you guys might want to come see.' I tell them, they look at each other as I gallop back over to her. The come as I nudge Kitsune to her feet.

"Kitsune?" They ask shocked as I grab her around the neck and pick her up.

"Thank you for this food!" they all say in usion. Kitsune is now looking much better.

"So, Kitsune, how did you get hurt so badly?" Shigure asks as I lay at her side.

"Gang jumped me, and unlucky me, there were a couple guys in it.' She explains them Memi comes in panting to death.

"Shi-Gure-Re!" She pants,

"Well hello Memi, you look tired. Come in, have a seat!" Shigure invites. She begins to sob, whimpering.

_Poof!_

I sit outside, quickly wrapping a blanket around me as I change back human.

"What was that?" Tohru asks, scared.

"Okami's back. I wonder what she looks like this time." Shigure wonders,

"Pervert!" Kyo growls. I cough of the living room, the blanket still wrapped around me, going down to my knees and covering my shoulders. Part of my right leg shows since its not wrapped well around me. I walk up to him, holding a frying pan behind my back, I pull it out and smack him upside the head with it, making it ring like a gong. I then drop it onto his head and leave.

I rest ,y head on Kyo's lap, half asleep, he gently runs his fingers through my short hair. I watch the stupid show that's on with them, but barely paying attention.

"It's almost time to go, don't you three think you should get ready?' Shigure asks walking in. We're silent. "Yuki, Kyo, Okami. We're going to be late." He continues,

"Shut up, I'm now going." They say simultaneously.

"Oh Tohru its terrible! Neither one of these three want to go back with me to the Sohma house!" Shigure complains to Tohru.

"Dang it! Quit whining! Your supposed to be an adult!" Kyo shouts at him slamming his fists onto the table but not enough to force behind it to break it.

"Umm, your not going back?" Tohru asks sitting down as I pop my head up into view.

"I haven't been to that place in 4 mouths, I'm no just gonna go now because of some stupid New Year's thing." Kyo replies,

'Try 5 years!' I snap at him,

"You were there not to long ago with Tohru to see Hatori!" he snaps back as Yuki says something to Tohru.

'Ya to make sure she didn't get brainwashed!' I snap back at him making a imaginary circle by the side of my head to indicate 'brainwashed'.

"Why do you have to be like this?" Shigure whines again, "You've three gone every year before haven't you?" He then explains the New Year's concept to Tohru.

'Hey! I was gone 5 years because of torture from other kids and my mom!' I snap at him but no one notices.

"That does sound big!"

"Just getting through all the introductions can be a event inner of itself. But I have to say the real highlight of the evening is the 'Zodiac Banquet.'" he hold his chin smiling.

'Don't even mention that!' I mumble, my head laying on the table.

"A banquet?" Tohru claps her hands together with a smile.

'Whats wrong with you?' I wonder half to myself.

"Its probably the most important part of the New Year's celebration. As the name might imply, it's a banquet for only the members of the Zodiac to attend. The Zodiac member of the Year performs a dance. This year it's Momiji's turn. Ahh, but nothing can compare to the dance that Yuki and Chikako did 3 years ago."

"I wish I could've seen it!" She looks with admiring eyes. Yuki throws 3 lemon slices at him.

"I told you never to talk about that!" he reminds him sourly.

'Wish I could've seen it, would've be funny!' I chuckle, leaning against him.

"I'm glad you didn't."

'What? To afraid of getting made fun of.'

"No, it's the physical teasing that I'm afraid of." he looks at me as I get him into a light chock hold and give him a noogie.

"It all sounds so wonderful!" Tohru says distracting us from our argument with a smile on her face, "A Zodiac banquet just like in the old folktale!"

"It doesn't matter to me. I mean, its not like I can go tot hat stupid banquet anyway." Kyo interrupts sourly.

"What? But why not?" Tohru asks,

"It's been a longstanding rule the cat isn't aloud to attend, and I suppose that is incepting with the old folktale isn't it?"

"I'm sorry." Tohru whispers with grief for Kyo.

'Why are you like that? It's not your fault, plus its not like you can do anything about it get us allowed back in there! I've been outcast from this place since I nearly ki-' I stop short, my eyes widening as I remember a scene from my long forgotten past. A clank of metal against cement is heard within my vision as a girl drops her blade, watching the adult's motionless body fall to the ground. Blood trickles from the wound in her chest and her throat. She lays motionless, as motionless as the dead. I snap out of it and look away.

"What?" Kyo asks,

'Nearly killed Akito, they person gets on my nerves so much is just wanna-Wanna strangle him!' I snarl my eyes widening with anger as I clench my fists together, digging my nails into my skin, making me bleed slightly. I snarl at nothing. My vision blurs from anger. I feel a cool hand on my forehead, I snap out of it and notice Yuki's hand touching my forehead.

"Your anger is making your blood boil, so push it to the back of your mind." he instructs.

"Ahh, its nothing you've gotta be getting all upset about." Kyo says sourly to Tohru's 'I'm sorry.' comment to change the subject. "I don't care, its not the reason why I'm not going back, if that's what you think!" I decide to Zone them out as I stare at the table, my mind blank.

"In any event, if we go back to Sohma House tonight we'll have to stay until the 3rd wont we? So for three days, we'll be leaving Miss. Honda here all alone."

"Eh?" Me and Kyo say at the same time. I just broke out of my trance.

"Stupid Cat, did you just realize that?" He asks us.

"Don't call me stupid!" Kyo growls' grabbing his shirt. "then don't act stupid, Stupid."

"Umm, please wait you two! Thank you for worrying, but you don't have to, I'll be alright." Tohru stops them as I grab Kyo and Yuki's hair and separate them. "It's funny, but just knowing that you three are thinking about me, well… I'm just so happy, and I want you to be happy too! So you should go and enjoy yourselves. I mean this is your family's special night, and you'll get to see your parents for the first time in a while right? I'm sure their all looking forward to seeing you. I promise I'll be fine! I'll take good care of the house while your gone! You we're talking to the girl who- Ah! The bathwater! I left it running again!" She dashes off as I tighten my grip, Yuki and Kyo struggle to get from my grip as i stare down at the floor wide eyed with pain and anger.

"Now, Now Okami. No need to get angry." Shigure says trying to calm me down with his stupidest.

"Ok, I'll go back." Yuki stands up fixing his shirt.

"Guess I've got no choice." Kyo growls,

'Your right, even if you didn't want to go, I'd make you' I mumble,

"If it's what she wants…" Yuki starts,

"And when she says it like that and all…" Kyo continues,

'You just have to listen…' I whisper, finishing it.

"Try to be careful and watch out for all the crowds." Tohru tells us.

"We'll be fine, there wont be many people out now." Shigure replies,

"You be careful to, make sure you lock all the doors." Yuki says gently,

"Ok." Tohru replies, a smile on her face. "Be safe!" she waves as we leave.

"You know, she used to leave that window in her room wide open." Kyo grumbles,

"What were you doing in her room?" Yuki asks.

"I wasn't, I saw it from outside!" he retorts,

"She can be rather careless at times. This morning, she tripped on the stairs again."

"And she's always bumping into walls and stuff. Clumsy as she is, if there was a way to choke on rice, she'd find it!"

"Don't even joke about that."

"You two, you sound like a couple of old ladies the way you worry. " Shigure stops and turns to look at them.

"Eh?"

"Don't get me wrong! I understand your concern for Tohru. But you've already made the decision to go back to Sohma House."

"Now hold on! Who said I was concerned?" Kyo asks,

"Stop talking nonsense, lets go!" Yuki says sourly as the continue to walk. I don't bother to try and catch up. Mainly because I don't have any energy, but also because I don't want to go.

"Oh, now that I think about it. There was a article in the evenings paper about a rash of burglaries in the neighbor hood. The coupler is still at large, or they say." Shigure says, turning around and they stop in their tracks. "Well lets be on our way shall we?" I hear a faint rustling behind me, I weakly look behind me and see bushes rustling, I then perk up, catching a not so sweet scent in the air.

"Oh Saki! What a pleasant surprise!" Shigure says when I turn my attention back to them, I slowly make my way over to them. "Can we help you with something?"

"Yes perhaps."

"Are you looking for Tohru maybe? She is still at the house. We are just on our way to visit our family."

"I see, then for her, this will truly be a lonely New Years. Until now, Tohru and her mother have always spent New year's Eve together. But this is the first year since her mother's death." Saki says turning away. I zone them out as I make my way over to them. I trip over a rock and land with a thud.

"Okami? You alright?" Yuki and Kyo ask at the same time and hit each other; Kyo hit his head against Yuki's cheek. I stare at the Weakly as IU push myself up.

"She seems to be exhausted." Hana says, looking at me. I stand up, my legs wobbly. "Perhaps she should head home."

'I'm fine! Don't worry about me! I can handle myself!' I snarl at her.

"Don't strain yourself, Okami." She instructs,

'Don't tell me what to do!' I growl, glaring at her.

"Perhaps you should leave her be Saki, her temper is worse when she is tired." Shigure warns her. And I glare at him as I slowly make my way back to them. As I near Kyo and Yuki, I suddenly loose my balance and Crash into them, but Luckily they caught me.

"Perhaps we carry her the rest of the way." Shigure wonders. I'm suddenly picked up into Yuki's arms. We head in the opposite direction we were heading.

"Umm, wait a minute! Where are you going exactly?" Shigure asks.

"I'm going home!" They say in usion.

About half way there, I finally recovered and we're running the rest of the distance. I nearly trip on a log but I recover quickly. Yuki slides the door open as we gasp for breath. Tohru stares at us in shock, tears in the corners of her eyes. Yuki catches one of her tears that slip away.

"No no! I wasn't crying! Really!" She says whipping her eyes quickly with her sleeves. I zone her out as I collapse onto my knees in front of Kyo.

"Whats wrong! Are you all right?" She asks worried as they fall down also, and I fall onto my side. I cough silently. As I try to push myself up, my arms are shaking with the effort. But it is a waste of effort since I only collapse back down.

I sit on the roof with Tohru, Kyo and Yuki, staring at the sky, but I hear nothing nor do I have anything running through my head. Only the pain the runs through my body is the only thing I feel.


	5. Chapter 5

I lay my head on my arms, staring at nothing.

"You don't look very good Okami, do you feel alright?" Shigure asks worried and I shake my head no. Shigure walks over to me and makes me sit up against my will and checks my temp. The door slides open as Yuki, Kyo and Tohru walk in with the groceries.

"Welcome home!" he says cheerfully. The thing beeps and he takes it out of my mouth and looks at it. "Temper of a 118.9"

"What's going on?" Kyo asks, suddenly worried.

"Okami's sick." Shigure reports putting the thing away as I lay my head on my hands again, on the table.

"She did look really pale a few weeks ago. She probably didn't feel well on the way to Sohma House. That's probably why she was stumbling and walking slow." Yuki wonders.

"Oh no! To think! I didn't realize! I'm so sorry!" Tohru freaks and she suddenly hugs me. But I do nothing to try and shake her off. Everyone stares at me shocked and worried.

"I guess she feels so horrible that her temper has died down a lot." Shigure wonders and I flash a glare at him and weakly push myself up, but I fall back down landing with a loud thud on my rear. Tohru tries to help me up but I just weakly smack her hand away. And struggle to stand up, having to use the wall for support.

"I've never seen Okami like this before." Yuki breathes to Tohru as she walks over to him. "She has never been knocked down like this before when she was ill."

I notice Kyo walking over to me. He goes to grab my shoulder but I snarl him away. He pull away but then whips me around, ducks under my swing and puts his shoulder on my stomach, wrapping his arm around my legs and lifting me off the ground. Making my body dangle. I don't bother to struggle free.

~*2 days later*~

"Hey! I'm out of the tub! Whose next? Yuki?" Shigure asks walking in.

Yuki sighs, "I think I'll ski it today."

"Uhohu! How can you stand to be so dirty?" Shigure ask s shocked as I weakly raise my hand up to agree with Yuki then I just let it go limp.

"What's wrong? Are you feeling ok?" Tohru asks worried.

"Well, no. I think I'm coming down with a cold." Yuki says, sitting up straight.

"A cold?!" Tohru dashes forward and put her hand on his forehead surprising him. The sudden movement makes me throw myself back and onto my hands and knees, growling at her.

"You do have a bit of a fever."

"Well, it's best to treat these things early. Take some medicine, get some rest, all that." Shigure rummages for the medicine.

"Maybe you should stay home from school tomorrow." Tohru says,

"No, I'm alright. It wont have to come to that."

"Are you sure? We're supposed to do our Endurance Run."

"Oh, so they still have those! It seems cruel that they make you kids run around in the cold." Shigure comments.

"The Endurance Run huh?" Kyo suddenly shows up, scaring me. I glare at him. He looks as if wind in blowing up from below me making his hair flow upwards, his shirt, I honestly don't even know! His eyes are shadowed, yet they sparkle with challenge.

"Yes. You mean you didn't know?" Tohru asks.

"The Endurance Run. A set distance, a certain time to beat. In other words, It's a race!" he goes on, his eyes are now flaming with challenge and a chance to beat Yuki. I glare at him more intensely.

"Alright Rat-Boy! Tomorrow we're going to find out who is the fastest!"

"Umm, Kyo. Yuki is starting to come down with a cold." Tohru says, shocked.

"So, you better give him something to eat and put him to bed. He aint getting out of this-" He starts but I punch him really hard in the face sending him flying out the doors into the yard.

'SHUT THE HECK UP! YOUR STUPID BABLERING ABOUT BEATING YUKI HIS GETTING ANNOYUING AND GIVING ME A HEADACHE! DON'T YOU EVER TALK ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE!?' I shout at him. My body shivers with rage as I growl at him. Everyone stares at me in shock.

"Never knew Okami would hit Kyo. She really must not be feeling well.

'Ya say something mutt?' I whip around on him, grabbing his robe, pulling him to my face.

"She went black." Yuki sighs.

"Calm down Okami. _Please, your scaring me._" Shigure begs,

'If I'm scaring you so badly why not do something-Hey! Let me go!' I struggle as Yuki pulls me off him and holds me up in the air. My feet barely touch the ground.

'Let me go Rat-boy!' I struggle and elbow him in the nose and he drops me. I land with a thud and Yuki staggers back holding his nose. I snap out of 'Black' as I let myself fall onto my back, panting.

'I hate you.' I weakly growl at him. Kyo comes walking him and pulls me onto his shoulder like 2 days ago. Shigure snaps out of it.

"Here, take one of these and all joking aside, remember if you strain your body to much you'll transform. Don't over do it." Shigure hands him the pill.

"I know." Yuki sighs.

"Shouldn't you be at school?" Yuki asks Hatsuharu.

"Ya. Well, I actually left on Sunday with the intension of coming here but I was swept away into the dark heart of the wilderness that took me 3 days to find my way out." Hatsuharu says,

"Why don't you say you got lost?" Yuki asks with a sigh.

"His sense of direction is as crappy as ever." Kyo growls rubbing his head.

"But if your gonna get lost, that's an impressive way to do it!"

"Well, ya but that also means he hasn't had a bath in 3 days. GROSS!"

"Umm hey, Don't you think we should move somewhere else?" Tohru asks seeing the crowd of people coming.

"Hmm, that might be wise. Oh this is Hatsuharu. He is still in his 3rd year of middle school, one year behind us. Haru, this is Miss. Tohru Honda." Yuki introduces them.

"Well then Miss. Tohru Honda, it's a pleasure to meet you." Haru bows in greeting.

"Oh no! the pleasure is all mine! Really!" She bows multiply times quickly. They move under the bridge and I silently follow.

"So what did you come here for anyway?" Kyo asks.

"To fight." Haru replies, "I was planning to challenge you at the New Years banquet but you decided to skip. So I've come to you. Now lets do it." He grabs Kyo's shirt and pulls him forward.

"EH? Hold on a minute! I'm right in the middle of something here in case you hadn't noticed!"

"I've already wasted 3 days looking for you."

"That's your own dang fault! You're the one who got lost!"

"Forget I said it! Lets go!"

"This could get ugly. Hey Kyo you should just go ahead and do what he says." Yuki tells him.

"No, I said no and I mean no. Now get out of here I'm busy!" Kyo turns on Haru, reveling his back. Haru takes the shot and head buts him in the neck.

"You make me sick. You and your pathetic girly whining." Haru says as Kyo is on the ground holding his head.

"To late." Yuki sighs.

"Heh! Your not a man! You're a little kitty cat to scared to fight. Know what? You can go to the underworld! HAHAHHA!"

"You little punk!" Kyo shouts and kicks him in the chin and they start fighting.

"That idiot. HE just had to go out a bring out Black Haru."

"B-black? But he has the same n-nickname as O-Okami." Tohru stammers.

"Haru is pretty easy to get along with but when he snaps he's uncontrollable. That's our nickname for him when he's like this. Black Haru. Okami got it from hanging around him so much when Kyo found her. Haru always volunteered to watch her when she was still feral."

"F-Feral?"

"She was always calmer and sweeter to him. He was the only who could control her. Yet, She followed Kyo around like a lost puppy dog. Always using him for protection. That was until Haru and Kyo got into a fight. Okami was torn. She couldn't stop them, until something snapped. She put them both in the hospital for a week."

"The H-Hospital?"

"Yes. Her temper got more and more out of control. Then it vanished and was locked inside a bottle inside her. It only opens when she truly goes black. But the black you saw yesterday was only ¼ of it."

"Ugh, So what your saying is that they have the same temper as Kagura?"

"Not at all." Haru shows up in front of him and pins him against the wall sort of. His left hand is making Yuki look at him from his chin. "I'm saying they're both a thousand times worse.

"Yuki, are you comfortable. Enjoying the show? Hope so, cause I'm coming for you next!" Haru says.

"Oh, is that a fact. Cause I know a certain someone who is dieing to strangle you."

"Get up Kyo!" Haru snaps, whipping around.

"I've been up! Where the heck were you?"

"I'm right here! Come on! Fight!"

"You know, This could go on for hours, you don't have to stay." Yuki says to Tohru.

"Eh, but!" Tohru tries to talk. Kyo and Haru continue to fight.

"Miss. Honda this really will take awhile. You should head back." Yuki says, giving a little cough.

"Some how this has turned into a fighting anime." Tohru says after a bit, "Umm, excuse me?"

"Lets leave them alone Miss. Honda, it's best to let them fight it out. It's what they want. Besides, I don't know about you but I don't want to be the one who stands between them. It's a little risky." He slimes at her warningly at the end.

'It's freaking cold out here!' I complain walking up to them, my hood up, rubbing my arms.

"But I'm sure Okami will take that risk." He mutters looking at me.

"Okami? I though you were to stay home?" Tohru freaks,

'Got bored, and Shigure knows better then to mess with me when I'm this ill. I'll ring his little neck!' I stare at nothing imagining I'm ringing his neck, even if they see me.

"You pansy! What kind of a girl punch is that? I didn't even feel it!" Hatsuharu asks sourly,

'I'll string his also.' I mutter as he throws his coat off and lands in front of us. I instinctively grab for it and wrap it around my cold body as I sit between Yuki and Tohru.

"Glad to see your feeling better!" Tohru smiles,

'Shut up, I don't feel any better than I was yesterday.' I growl,

"Yes ma'am! I'm sorry!" She apologizes looking away embarrassed. Haru taunts Kyo and gets punched to the ground.

"Don't get cocky you brat! Compared to Yuki you move like a turtle!" Kyo shouts at him.

"What does that make you? You still cant bet Yuki yourself! Can you, Loser? And you did all that extra training, too. Your even worse than a turtle, You're a snail. An ameba."

"I am seriously gonna murder you!" I shouts, punching him in the face. And Tohru whimpers her hands to her face.

"He's not serious." Yuki says,

"But… look at him. I've never seen Kyo fight like this."

"Yes, well against Haru Kyo does seem a lot stronger. If you ask me, their a couple of fighting fools. They've been studying martial arts since they

were-" His sentence is cut off by us coughing. "Since they were-" HE falls to the ground my fever raises very quickly.

"Ugh, Yuki? Okami?" Tohru asks worried as I weakly take Haru's jacket off.

'Yu-*coughs*-ki… Take this…*coughs*' I struggle to move towards him, I barely manage to get Haru's jacket on him.

"Yuki! Okami!" Tohru says loudly, worried as we have fits of coughing, mine worse than Yuki's. My eyes are wide as I cough loudly. My pain worsens and I growl from the pain. Gasps escape me, followed by coughs as I struggle to breathe. Haru and Kyo are pulled from their fight.

"Yuki! Okami!" Tohru says worried. Haru rushes over to us.

"Is it a asthma attack?" He asks worried, putting one hand on our shoulders. "And you both have fevers, too don't you? You know your not supposed to over do it when your sick." Haru scolds us.

'Shut that stupid mouth of yours!' I growl, weakly facing him but my arms give out of me, but before I could collide with the ground Kyo caught me.

"Just lie here for now." He tells us, "Go call the main house and hurry." he tells Kyo, but I grab Kyo's shirt tightly as he holds me in his arms. While Yuki grabs Haru's foot. He looks at him begging him not to before he his corrupted by coughs.

"You don't want the main house, huh? Kyo you don't mind if we finish our fight later, do you?" Haru asks him and Kyo agrees to do it later.

"We need to get them back to Shigure's somehow."

"Dang! I guess this means the Endurance Run is over too! That really bites, I was winning!" Kyo looks away as I weakly leave his arms and struggle to Yuki's side, despite the short distance.

"I would say we could take a taxi, but it would be a real pain if they transformed in the back seat." Haru says as Tohru stands up to look at them.

"But we have to do something! I'll do anything." Tohru says worried.

"Ok, may be there is something we can do. It's lucky for me your so cute."

"Uh?"

"I mean, if I'm gonna do it should be with someone cute right?" Haru looks at her with a evil smile. He laughs evilly as he embraces her in a hug. He transforms. Tohru jumps back scared.

"Hold on to the back of my neck so I don't change back." Haru instructs, "It'll be easier on Yuki and Okami if we carry them like this." Kyo stands up holding me in his arms.

"I'll carry Okami." He says to him picking me up. I stare at him with blank eye. I still grip his shirt tightly. My eyes plead for the pain to end but all my pleading gets me nothing. I feel everything spin as I lose consciousness.

I stare at Okami, as her body falls limp, her grip on my shirt vanishes as it lays on her stomach. _Hang in there Okami. The pain will end soon. I promise._

"So you came here looking like that did you?" Shigure asks, tryign to hold back a laugh but failing.

"It's not funny." I growl at him

"There, we'll let him sleep for a while. It looks like just a mild attack. He still has a slight fever but he should be alright." Shigure says,

"Thank goodness!" Tohru breathes,

"But Okami's was worse, right?" I ask.

"That's right! How is she cooping?" Tohru asks me wildly and I jump back. "Will she be alright? What should I do? She illness could get worse!" She panics.

"Calm down! Okami's doing just fine. She's asleep also." I answer her question.

"You should let her sleep, Tohru. Waking her up will only make her temper worse and Sorry for the scare Tohru, it's really ok. You can go back to school now if you want." Shigure calms her down.

"Oh no! School is important but I wouldn't feel right going back when I know they're lying here sick. I'm sure Mom will understand if I miss a day. Besides, I feel a little bit responsible. I should've asked him to stay home today. His cold probably wouldn't have gotten this bad."

"I'll tell you what. I'll got o the school and pick up your things for you."

"Eh! You really don't have to got through all that trouble!"

"No no! no trouble at all. In the meantime, Kyo why don't you call Hatori?"

"Huh? Why I gotta do it?" I complain,

"Watch yourself though, Hatori is a bit overworked these days, he's probably not in the best of moods. From what I hear practically the entire family has come down with flu, including our sweet helpless Okami!" His serious face turns to a sad one as anime tears stream down his face, head hanging.

_Poof…_

"I'll call him." Haru says standing up. We all look away. "Where is the phone again?"

"Dang it! Put some clothes on first!" I growl.

"Well, I'm off, take good care of Yuki while I'm gone." Shigure says leaving.

"Yuki, Kyo and Okami. Do they still get into fist fights everyday?" Haru asks Tohru as she pours ice into the whatcha-mei-call-it.

"No, but they argue about each time they see each other."

"Huh, well that means they're getting along a little better at least. It wasn't long ago that the idea would seem pretty hopeless…"

"No. Hopeless?"

"That's how it seemed. But I can tell they've both changed since then. There used to be so much tension between them that if they were in the same room you could feel it in the air. Things seem much more relaxed now. It could be because you're here."

"Eh? N-no, I doubt I've made that much of a difference."

"Well, I cant prove that yet. I haven't been around enough to see what's been going on. I guess the reason really isn't important. I'm just glad to see them doing better."

"Especially Yuki and Okami, They were my first and second loves after all." Haru says as Tohru and himself go to see Yuki and Okami.

"Eh!" Tohru drops the bag, stopping on the stairs.

"Nothing against Kyo. Yuki and Okami are just really special to me. Although, when we were kids I couldn't stand Yuki and Amai, I girl I used to know that looks so much like the Okami we know today, couldn't stand me. I hated the fact that the energetic little girl that I loved when I first laid my eyes on her, hated me. She wouldn't talk to me much. But around Kyo and Yuki she seemed so happy. Until, she suddenly stopped talking totally and cut herself off from everyone, then after a few weeks. My eyes never saw her again."

"Oh, really? I knew a girl named Amai! She is just how you described!" Tohru says sadly, "But why?"

"Because he's that rat, and Amai was the wolf, before Okami, yet strangely Okami is just as old as Kyo and Yuki. It's In the old story right? How the rat rode on the back of the cow's back tot eh zodiac banquet and the wolf tried desperately to get ahead but never could. I used to hate that story when I was a little kid." Haru picks up the whatcha-mei-call-it and fixes it. "The cow, The cow is a stupid fool, letting the rat use him like that and how foolish the wolf was for desperately trying to surpass the Cow and the Rat to be first. That's what all the adults sued to tell me anyway. I know they were probably half joking when they said it, still I couldn't help but feel Amai and I were the ones being laughed at. Calling stupid and foolish. And after hearing it over and over, I had so much anger towards the rat bottled up inside I couldn't contain it. I started losing my temper more and more over the tiniest things. I guess that's where my 'black' personality first began to appear…" Haru continues his story as they care for Yuki.

After caring for Yuki a sudden scream of pain erupts from down the hall, in Okami's and Kyo's room.

"What was that?" Yuki asks, confused. The scream returns but louder and sounds as if the person is in even more pain.

"Okami!" Tohru panics and dashes off with Haru, Yuki follows weakly. They find Okami wreathing around in pain, growling stuff under you breath.

"Get away from me!" she snarls. Haru quickly pins her.

"Get the shots Yuki!" Haru instructs, and Yuki leaves quickly. "Tohru, help me hold her down."

"Yes! On it!" She fails at trying to hold down her legs as she wreathes in pain from a haunting nightmare.

"Get off of me! Let me go! I cant breathe!" She screams, still wreathing in pain trying to get whatever it is away from her and to free her. Yuki returns with a vile and a needle. He gets whatever is in the vile into the needle then rolls her sleeve up, numbs the skin then injects it. She steadily calms down until everything is calm. Tohru fixes her bed as she rolls over onto he other side, panting.

"Phew! Close one." Haru and Yuki say breathless.

"W-What h-happened?" Tohru stammers worriedly.

"She has those nightmares everyone once in a while so Hatori left us these. To calm her down when we inject it into her arm." Haru explains, "So Whenever they show we have to inject them into her arms or she wont sleep properly, or something. I zoned out."

"We've only had to do it twice before." Yuki says, "First time was the worst, Hatori rushed over immediately. She was in so much pain and agony that she was bedridden for a week. We were all sore, Shigure got his arm clawed up, gave me a stomach ache from getting kicked. And Kyo had a black eye, bloodied nose and a battered body. Kyo was worried about her so badly he didn't leave her side the whole time. The second time wasn't as bad but she sure did give Kyo a bloodied nose, and me, a bruised arm. And then what you just saw." Yuki explains,

"This time, I got my face clawed, and it stings." Haru pipes in, touching his bleeding claw marks on his face that have a chance of scarring.

"Will she be alright?" Tohru asks looking Okami.

"Yes, she'll be fine." Okami turns over, her right arm out hanging off the bed. After hours and hours Shigure and Kyo return home sick.

"That's what happens when you sit out in the freezing air for hours playing Old Maid." Haru tells them as they lay on temporary beds, whining.


End file.
